HOW TO RECOGNISE A GOOD DOG TRAINER 1/3

Choosing the right dog trainer can be one of the most difficult decisions to get right

You will be faced with all types of dog trainers claiming to be the only one in the world who knows the secret to lifelong happiness with your dog. Many of them offer guarantees, some claim to be dog whisperers ready to guide you to become your dog’s ‘pack leader’. And others charge more than professional human psychologists.
So how an earth can you find a good dog trainer? To find an answer to this question, we need to back up to the first step of any decision making process. Do you even need a dog trainer?

Do I Need a Dog Trainer?

It is certainly possible to read books, take online training courses and browse websites such as this one to gain a good amount of knowledge about how dog’s feel and learn. But it’s always a good idea to use a qualified trainer to fully point you in the right direction and help you get back on track when facing behavioural issues.
Most dog owners need a little bit of help to create a healthy relationship with their dog. A good dog trainer can guide you away from common pitfalls and towards a lifetime of mutual understanding.

The simple fact is that most people can’t do it alone and need the help of a trainer.

The sooner you develop essential communication skills and understanding of canine behaviour, the less likely you’ll suffer from serious behaviour issues you can’t manage later on.

Too Many Options, And a Very Few Good Ones?

There are many dog training clubs, schools and associations, but dog training remains an unregulated profession. Anyone can claim to be a dog trainer regardless of the type or level of education or experience in the field. I’ve met many dog trainers who have never trained a dog. Not even their own ones. I’ve also met “dog trainers” who teach things that they are good at, but they don’t have good teaching skills. Being a dog trainer doesn’t mean that it’s enough that you understand dogs. You also need to be a good teacher otherwise the clients won’t benefit from the training.

There are many under-qualified and inexperienced ‘professionals’ out there. But the lack of regulation also leaves the door open for people who practice outdated and dangerous dog training methods.

I believe that most people looking for a dog trainer would prefer one who gets them long lasting results without using force, pain or intimidation. The problem the clever marketing from old-school trainers that make their training methods sound like a natural choice. It make people think that they will get amazing results with minimum work involved. It’s all about becoming the pack leader and the idea that the dog will follow your lead no matter what. Unfortunately, choosing the wrong dog trainer can have disastrous results.

Positive trainers around the world have started changing the way we should treat our dogs.